German name:
Swamp Hayweed

Scientific name:
Ludwigia palustris

Attitude:
easy, suitable for beginners

Size:
up to 50 cm

Temperature:
4 to 28°C

pH:
5 – 8

GH:
soft – hard° dGH

CH:

2 to 22 °dKH

propagation:
cuttings, stolons

Aquarium:
background, middle ground

Appearance of Ludwigia palustris:

Forest & Kim Starr, Starr 070515-7068 Ludwigia palustris, CC BY 3.0

Compared to the more colorful tropical Ludwigia species, the native marsh hayweed is rather inconspicuous.
It is a perennial marsh and aquatic plant that can assume different growth forms depending on the local environment and site conditions. Due to the very variable shape and colouring, it is often confused with other species.

Ludwigia palustris grows both submerged and emersed in a creeping form. As an aquatic plant, the marsh hayweed forms freely floating sprouts in the water.
In the terrestrial form, it lets the stems crawl along the moist soil just above it. The plant forms 15 to 30 cm long shoots, some above and some under water, and has narrow, green-red, oval, dense leaves. The stronger the light intensity, the more intense the red coloring of the plant. It is believed that this coloring of the plant serves as sun protection.

Ludwigia palustris blooms between July and August. The greenish colored individual flowers develop in the leaf axils and are rather inconspicuous. The flowers have no petals and an inconspicuous calyx.

Distribution:

Ludwigia palustris is in EEurope, North Africa, South Africa and in North America spread.
It settles as a submerged and emersed stem plant on riparian zones and flood areas of standing or slow-flowing bodies of water, for example on the banks of ponds, pools that periodically dry out and water-bearing ditches.

husbandry conditions:

Ludwigia palustris is a fast-growing, unproblematic aquatic plant.

The plant can reach a height of up to 50 cm. With a lot of light and a good supply of nutrients, the stems grow more horizontally and many rooted side shoots form, which can be used well for propagation. Regular pruning ensures compact, bushy growth.

Ludwigia palustris thrives in a temperature range of 4-28°C in soft to medium-hard water with a pH value between 5 and 8. The optimum temperature is between 22 and 26°C.

The marsh hayweed has medium light requirements, so that it can also do well in a partially shaded place in the aquarium. However, the plant will lose some of its color there, remain rather green and develop elongated stems. More light is needed to get a reddish colored and bushy plant.

Ludwigia palustris can be cultivated in nutrient-poor water, but it grows better in more nutrient-rich conditions as this promotes robustness and hardiness. An additional CO2 fertilization is conducivebut not essential.

Swamp hayweed is very easy to propagate. Propagation can be done by cutting off side shoots or the tip of the shoot. The part of the stem that is left standing then forms side shoots again.

Ludwigia palustris is also suitable for an emersed outdoor culture at the edge of the garden kingdom. In the right location, it develops dense, sprawling stands.
The hardy marsh hayweed is adapted to fluctuating water levels and to water bodies that periodically dry out.

Suitable locations are sunny to semi-shady places:

• in the wet or shallow shallow water zone with a water depth of 10 to 20 cm
• on shallow, slow-flowing sections on and in streams
• in very shallow ponds and ponds, the water of which heats up more in summer

Characteristics of Ludwigia palustris:

According to the Red List, Ludwigia palustris is considered “Critically Endangered” throughout Germany. In some states it is already extinct.